Color control



April 24, 1945. L. R. PAUL I COLOR CONTROL Filed Sept. 16, 1945.

INVENTOR.

vmr fm ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 24, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLOR CONTROL LeslieR. Paul, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application September 16, 1943, Serial No. 502,703

3 Claims.

The object of this invention is to devise a novel selective colorcontrol for use in lighting fixtures in order to provide a desired colorfor the area illuminated by the lighting fixture.

An electric motor, having its circuit controlled independently from thatof the lighting circuit, is employed to position a color tube for a.selected color or tint, and revolves the color tube around a stationarylighting tube. A metal, opaque shield and reflector extends around therear portion and a portion of the sides of the lighting tube, so thatonly the unshielded part of the color tube acts as a lighting agent.This enables the user to select the exact color effect desired byactuating a remote, switch control for the motor. The shield preventsthe light rays from emanating through the other colored sections of thecolor tube and neutralizing and counteracting the trueness of tint. Theends of the lighting tube extend beyond those of the color tube, andslides on the color tube block the light rays at the extreme ends of thelighting tube where it is not covered by the color tube. A fluorescenttube is pushed and snapped into its sockets, and to prevent the breakingof the color tube when the lighting tube is changed, the motor drivesthe color tube by means of a resilient wheel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will hereinafter clearlyappear, my invention comprehends a novel, selective color control.

It further comprehends a novel color control having novel shieldingmeans, novel driving means for the color tube, and novel means formounting the color tube to turn around the lighting tube.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafterappear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in theaccompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention which Ihave found, in practice, to give satisfactory and reliable results. Itis, however, to be understood that this mbodiment is typical only andthat the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists canbe variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limited tothe exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities asherein set forth.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a selective, color control,embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of a portion of the device.

Figure 4 is a section through the lighting tube, with the shield orreflector in end elevation.

Figure 5 is a transverse section of the color tube.

. Figure 6 is an expanded view of a portion of the color tube to showthe arrangement of different colors.

Similar numerals indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawing:

I designates the frame or housing of a selective, color control,embodying my invention. The frame has conventional sockets 2 to receivea conventional fluorescent tube 3. l is the color tube, the rear portionand a portion of the sides of which are shielded by a metaL'opaque,shield .or reflector 5, which snaps on to the tube 1.

The color tube has bearings 6 which are pressed into its ends and bearon the tube 3 to freely revolve thereon. The color tube 4 has differentcolors or tints painted. lacquered or otherwise secured thereon,preferably in bands lengthwise of the color tube. The arrangement andthe different colors used may vary widely in. practice, but I have foundif they are arranged in the following order good results are obtained,clear or uncolored, yellow, amber, rose, red, magenta if desired, blue,green, yellow. Different colors are shown at l.

The color tube has resilient band 8 fixed to its outer periphery in anydesired manner at a desired location lengthwise of the tube. An electricmotor 9 is mounted on the frame, and has remote control switch Ill,located at any desired place in the room where the fixture is installed.The motor is a low speed motor, preferably about one R. P. M. so thatthe color tube will turn very slowly and can be stopped at the desiredcolor without over-running. The shaft of the motor has a resilient wheelI l in driving engagement with the resilient band 8.

The fluorescent tube has a remote control switch I2, located at anydesired place in the room.

In order to provide for the removal of the fluorescent tube withoutdanger of injury to such tube or the color tube, the color tube does notextend the full length of the lighting tube. Light blocking shields iiiare slidably mounted on the color tube so that they can be movedoutwardly to block the light from the extreme ends of the lighting tube,and, when the lighting tube is to be changed, these shields can be movedinwardly to provide space for the user to grasp the lighting tube withhis fingers to remove it or to insert it in place in its sockets.

A transparent or translucent cover It is secured in place by members l5secured in any desired manner to the frame and overhanging flanges onthe cover.

The fluorescent tube has its conventional cooperating parts which arewell known in the art, and a detailed description of such parts is notbelieved to be necessary.

In the operation, the-user actuates the switch I 0, and as soon as thedesired color shows, the switch is opened to stop the color tube andproduce the selected color effect.

A section of the tube 4 may be left uncolored.

It will be apparent that a plurality of devices may have their motorscontrolled by a single switch, if desired. I

For manual positioning and turning of the resilient wheel I l, the wheelmay be mounted on the frame and its shaft extended to a point accessibleto the operator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a selective, color control, a fluorescent tube and its circuit, acolor tube shorter than and surrounding said fluorescent tube to leaveopposite end portions exposed, a stationary reflector within the colortubefshields slidable on v the color tube to normally cover the exposedend portions of the fluorescent tube and slidable towards-the center ofthe color tube to expose the ends of the fluorescent tube, and a slowspeed drive having resilient engagement with the color tube and torevolve it and stop it for a selected color effect and said circuit anddrive having separate remote controls in proximity to each other.

2. In a selective, color control, a lighting tube having a portion ofits sides and its rear shielded, a color tube of less length than thelighting tube, surrounding and mounted to revolve on the lighting tube,a slow speed motor operatively connected with the color tube to revolveit, annular shields on the color tube to normally overhang theunshielded portions of the' lighting tube, and slidable inwardly toprovide space for grasping the fighting tube when it is to be insertedor removed, and a light transmitting cover for said tubes, said lightingtube having a remote control switch, and said motor having a remotecontrol switch to cause the motor to position the color tube for aselected color effect.

In a selective, color control, a housing having sockets, a. fluorescenttube I removably mounted in said sockets, a color tube of less lengththan the fluorescent tube and having end bearings on it, a reflectorpartially surrounding the fluorescent tube, annular shields slidable onthe color tube, normally covering the exposed ends of the fluorescenttube and slidable towards the central portion of the color tube toexpose the ends of the fluorescent tube to permit it to be grasped forremoval from its sockets as a unit of structure with the reflector andcolor tube, and means to turn the color tube to positio it for aselected color effect.

LESLIE R. PAUL.

